Adalberto Santiago’s gold record. A dress worn by the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. Ismael Quintana’s maracas. What was once a hardware store in the heart of East Harlem, also known as El Barrio, has been transformed into one of the most important collections of a genre that was born on these streets.

”There are over 300 items, from articles to records to timbales, congas, I have Ray Barreto’s custom made congas, Johnny Cruz, co-founder of Spaha Salsa Museum, said.

For decades, this space was known as Lexington Hardware and Plumbing. But those hammers and nails have given way to the Spaha Salsa museum, created 12 years ago by musician and producer Johnny Cruz to preserve and pay tribute to the pioneers of salsa music.

The hardware store belonged to Cruz’s father, who had emigrated to New York from Puerto Rico, but when he passed away, Cruz decided to close the business and open the museum with the legendary singer, Adalberto Santiago.

“This community started coming around here, learning about the salsa, especially the young generation,” Maria Cruz, vice president of the museum, said. “They come here. They feel like the salsa is them. And they feel happy. They have the songs, the music and everything right here."

All the items here have been donated by musicians or family members of artists who have passed away including the jacket that Hector Lavoe wore in Las Vegas, Jose Mangual Jr’s bongos and a tuxedo worn by Tito Puente when he performed with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra.

“I have hundreds of people wanting to give stuff, but you have to have a legendary history to be in here. Everybody here has a major history, El Gran Combo, the number one salsa band in the world, Frankie Ruiz, one of the greatest salsa singers in the world, Adalberto Santiago, the last of the Mohicans from the Fania All Stars,” Cruz said.

When NY1 asked about musician, Tito Puente, Cruz responded, “He’s one of the greatest.”

It’s a collection that has also traveled to other cities and other parts of the world to celebrate the music and the artists that made it happen.

“My mission is to educate new generations of the history of Latin music which was created here in El Barrio in NY, that’s my main mission educate them,” Cruz said. “Plus, I’m also doing the traveling museum, so I’ve been going to different places, Puerto Rico, Colombia and bringing some of this stuff and educating kids in the history of salsa. Salsa is never going to die.”

Cruz’s ambitions extend beyond East Harlem. He is planning to open a similar museum in Puerto Rico next year and has met with representatives of the Smithsonian who are interested in exhibiting some of these pieces at the National Museum of the American Latino in our nation’s capital.